An adventure set in the lofty heights (and dangerous depths)of Hindu thought. Insider tips? Relax, dissolve your preconcieved notions & get chanting.And by the way, dont believe all that you hear! A rudimentary knowledge of Sanskrit, Tamil and a fleeting accquaintance with the puranas and other such texts might come in handy.
Wisdom takes courage.

Com - Transcended He Brahma on the lotus-seat Siva, He stands above (transcended) the Swadhisthana lotus (sacral chakra), which is the seat of the creative principle (Brahma). Transcended Mayan, the ocean-hued He stands above the Manipura lotus (solar plexus chakra) which is the seat of the preservative principle (Vishnu, the ocean hued Lord of Maya) Transcended He, Isan He stands above even the Anahata lotus (heart chakra) which is the seat of the dissolution principle (Rudra) . who transcends all He has transcended even the Vishudhi lotus (throat chakra) the seat of Maheshwara and the Ajnya lotus (third eye chakra) the seat of Sadashiva. Transcended He space infinite, witnessing all And transcending all, He stands in the Sahasrara lotus (crown chakra), the highest seat, being a witness to all (i.e. As pure consciousness, being the observer).

* The highest Siva resides in the Sahasrara as pure consciousness, being the silent witness, while the 5 Beings (Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Maheshwara and Sadashiva) have been given the authority to perform the 5 functions (viz. creation, preservation, destruction, veiling and revealing) and have been stationed at their respective centres. The above mantra makes the location or the seats of the different Purushas/ Beings explicit, along with an indication of the functional aspect of each of the above mentioned 5 Beings. By the term ''witnessing all'' associated with the Supreme Shiva, the sage makes clear that the Parashiva or Supreme Shiva is bereft of actions and their results. He is pure, undifferentiated, taintless consciousness - the witness of all, but not the participant (though the 5 beings are but manifestations of the Supreme). Like the impurities mixed in a glass of water sink to the bottom leaving the clear and sediment free water to rise up, the various modifications (vrittis) and differentiation in consciousness are located in the lower realms of the chakra system leaving the pure crystal consciousness to stand freely at the crown of the head (sahasrara).

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Arohara baba!!!I don't know if i got it rite.. When you mentioned that the Parashiva or Supreme Shiva is the witness of all but not the participant..Are we the participants? Or who is the participant here?

Arohara!@ arvindiyer,To discuss the difference between witness (observer) and participant we need to delve even deeper into the clear and definitive discrimination of the triad of gnayana, gnayatru,gneya (or knowledge, knower and the known). But in reply to your question a simple word or two -When I mention that the Parashiva is standing at the highest place as the silent witness, it has to be understood as the atma. Do not the vedas and the upanishads describe the state of the atma thus? Silent, neither joyous nor sad,neither rich nor poor, neither male nor female, alone, unchangeable, static. These are but some of the descriptions of the eternal nature of the atman. And Parashiva is no other than the atman.And if we see it also becomes obvious that the 5 purushas or beings (Brahma, Vishnu &c) are nothing but manifestations of the same Shiva. So tell me, who is a participant and who is a witness??!When in reality, everything is the same Shiva, how then can we arrive at any such distinctions? When He is in His supreme or Para form, there is no activity or action...just one steady state of pure and unmodified consciousness. But in His state(s) where modifications or vrittis exist in that consciousness, the same Shiva becomes the multiple universes and all in it. And depending on the kind or type of modification, different manifestations are exhibited.Like Krishna says to Arjuna in the battlefield, '' who is the hunter and who is the hunted?'' Just because it appears that Arjuna has the bow in his hand, does it mean he is the actor/participant/person responsible for the arrow being discharged? Just because it appears that there are people on the opposite army falling down dead as a result of those arrows, are they really dead and gone?Like I once remarked, in reality, the all pervading nature of God (call it Shiva or Devi or what you will)means that everything is that same god. It cannot be otherwise, or the all pervading attribute will not be fitting.Back to your question, there are no 'other' participants here. He is himself the witness (in the para state) and He is himself the participant (in the modified states). Truly, there is no 'other'!Sarvam shivamayam.

@ arvindiyer (again)refer to the next mantra (15th)to get a better understanding of the fact that the 5 purushas and everything else is but a manifestation of the same Parashiva.The mantra beautifully describes how Shiva Himself blossoms and expands as All.